A Night of Fear, Fun, and Friendship
by veganwrocker
Summary: The Marauders go on their first nightly excursion, and each boy experiences a bit of a personal transformation.
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: James, Sirius, and Peter accompany Remus for the first time on his monthly trip to the Shrieking Shack to transform into a werewolf under the full moon, and each boy experiences somewhat of a personal transformation. They have not called themselves the Marauders yet, nor have they given themselves their nicknames, so I refer to each of them with their given names except in the chapter titles. This story will be four chapters, and each chapter will take place in order but from the perspective of a different boy. This story takes place as a prologue to the _Harry Potter_ novels. _

_Disclaimer: All characters belong to J. K. Rowling. I am not making, nor do I ever expect to make, any money from this story. As always, simply a curious teen trying to discover more about the world she adores. _

**Padfoot's Escape: From Abhored Family to Adored Friends**

Sirius grinned as the four friends threw on James' Invisibility Cloak and ran, laughing and joking, out of Hogwarts Castle. _Oh yes_, he smiled to himself. _This is going to be __**good**_. _This_ was where he belonged: out in the darkness; taking risks with true friends; making a name for themselves in school as the elite of the troublemakers. He never felt at home when he was with his "family" - his git of a father; his haughty, selfish, egotistical mother; and his suck-up little snot-nosed brother, lying and doing whatever it took to gain his teachers' respect and their parents' love. No, _this_ is where he belonged, and this is where he would stay; as soon as the rest of the school caught wind of the boys' monthly excursions, they would be legends.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I am not Jo Rowling; I own nothing. _

**Peter's Acceptance: From Outcast to Best Friend**

Peter shivered with excitement. He couldn't really believe it, but it was true. After _years_ of being "Mommy's little boy" – oh, how the other children in his town full of Muggles used to make fun of him – after _**years**_ of having to cast spells on the other kids to make them play with him, he had actually make friends at Hogwarts the first day he stepped foot in the castle.

Now, at just thirteen years old, these friends were embarking on an adventure that would bond the four of them for life. As Peter was pondering, once again, how he possibly managed to end up best friends with the most popular guys in school, James suddenly gasped.

"What is it?" asked Peter, just now getting a little bit worried.

In response, James simply pointed a finger ahead of them. In the distance, a blue tinted light was coming over the horizon; the full moon was rising. As small slivers of light fell upon his pale skin, Remus stopped dead in his tracks and began to morph. First, his hair seemed to recede back into his head, while all over the rest of his body, dark fur was sprouting erratically. Then his eyes began to widen ands darken, and his legs and arms bent in such a way that in a few moments, he was on all fours.

The three other boys were staring at him, transfixed, but finally James snapped out of it and screamed, "_**Now!**__," _and he quickly and expertly morphed into his stag form. Sirius, now a massive black dog, and James, antlers gleaming in the moonlight, grabbed Remus, now in full wolf form, on either side, and bounded away with him into the night. Peter, now darting through the grass as a rat, scampered after them, thrilled and terrified at the same time, anticipating the best and worst of what was to come.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Still don't own anything._

**James' Transformation: From Child to Protector**

James rammed his antlers against Remus' writhing form, trying to keep him from biting Sirius or running into the Forbidden Forest alone, but also desperately trying to make sure he didn't hurt him. Those antlers were sharp, he realized now, and one wrong move could get them all in a heap of trouble that they certainly could do without.

Sirius growled and yelped as Remus' teeth slashed through his fur. James winced. He knew Sirius would be able to get something from Madam Needlum, the Hospital Wing nurse, that would clear it up in a heartbeat, but still… he didn't like seeing his friends hurt. From now on, he would have to be make sure they were more careful.


End file.
